Frugaleer Festive Fun

[Unescorted]

I went to post and realised we had nearly run out of room.

old thread here

Bring the sparkle on....

Dh made my faves for dinner. French onion soup with crispy crispy onions and home made bread. So so yum.

We watched 101 dalmations and monsters inc with the kids. Yay.

Oops! I fell off the thread this week. Combination of wnd of term madness and trying to avoid covid doom and gloom online - I don't mean you guys but the rest of the internet!
Will catch up properly tomorrow as too tired now, dd still disturbing our nights 😬

Up early here. Ds wanted eggies for breakfast so we’ve done that.

I’m showered though which is good. Dh just off to work and I’m waiting here with the kids for Dm to pick them up

Morning all, I'm working today and tomorrow before stopping for a few days.

Managed to go overdrawn as needed food, I can't risk running low with dd and her food issues so 🤷‍♀️

Payday Christmas Eve.

I've also just agreed to having two very old family photos restored at £35 a go which will be for my mums 70th birthday in January. I might see if my brother will chip in towards them...

Morning - it has not been a frugal couple of days...

The Aldi was not as busy this morning as I thought it would be.... I still have Tesco to go to get the things I forgot and the things Aldi don't sell. DD is coming with so I expect it will be expensive.

We are Christmasing the house today.... the tree has been up since November, but we are cracking on with living / dining room. DD is chief designer and I am bank roll and sweatshop worker. I am trying out embroidery for the first time - what could go wrong?

Mrs I am sorry about your cuz's dh and that I missed Bob's Birthday..

Girlie I am worried about the lack of Vegemite. I have now almost run out and have not been able to get anywhere. I cannot imagine how worrying it is for you. I continue to keep my fingers crossed for her improvement / getting well.

Snuggly can I just say a huge thanks to you and all the other teachers clawing their way through to the end of term. DS managed a whole term without any bursting bubbles and his school are gearing up for combined online / in class learning in real time for next term - I am not sure when you guys are supposed to get a rest..

Anyway - I am now chauffer for DD to go to Tesco..... wish me luck

Unescorted I was just in the shop, and saw vegemite! if i'd seen the message before shopping i'd have bought it and winged it across to you!

Snuggly another in awe of you teachers. dsis has said its been absolutely chaotic but she's survived the term!

spends:

£11 in coop - milk. gammon and eggs.

£9 boots - bubble bath shampoo and hair clips for the dc. dds hair is now getting a bit long at the front so need a clip. they won't last...

em It is a full on national catastrophe. I will see if people closer than you can find any. If not I will be taking you up on that offer.

We do not have to brave the shops again until the new year, unless I find a Vegemite supplier.

Now I can go back & do better catch up....

gen I buy A1 sheets of brown paper so that I can buy cheap bunches of flowers and rewrap them - fools everyone that I have bought really expensive ones (cut the stems short b/c long stems are a supermarket giveaway....). It can also be used as universal wrapping paper.

wolf sorry that you are having a smaller Christmas than expected. The supermarkets were full of people repurposing their plans.... needless to say the huge Turkeys and roasting joints were all on sale. To the point it was cheaper in £ and p to buy big..... having worked out how to use a sharp knife I may have stocked up. For the brave last thing on Christmas eve will be a bargain hunters paradise.

Awesome news Sing.... 2020 the year when not having a positive test result was a thing to celebrate.

Big queue at Aldi today but I used the time to catch up on a phone call, and once in, the aisles were fine (they manage the store very well) and no shortages anywhere. British parsnips 14p a bag!

tomorrow I'll do butcher, cheese shop, dry cleaners. Dog threw up on son's bed, so husband took the duvet to a laundrette for a service wash!

Ah, the mystery of the vanishing Vegemite. Been delisted everywhere. We found some in - bizarrely - a farm shop in Devon in September , so bought 4 jars. Myself, I prefer Marmite, but Australian husband comes over all misty-eyed about Vegemite.

Sorry to those who have had to cancel Christmas plans, 'tis shit.

unescorted dm me your address and next time i go to the shop i'll grab some for you.

tight I understand the misty eye - I nearly burst into tears in Tesco's earlier. They had put a Marmite and peanut butter abomination in its place on the shelf. DD gave me a hug.... and everyone else gave me a wide berth.

em Thanks you - I will check another couple of local oddity shops & if no luck I will take you up on your kind offer.

1019 cases here today.

Thank you for the kind teacher comments, it means a lot when so many are quick to criticise teachers. The term was crazy and it's been hard work but I have so enjoyed being in the classroom with the kids after months if remote learning. Back to remote teaching in the first week and who knows what will happen beyond that... I'm trying(unsuccessfully!) not to think about it until the new year!

Ha - I have a mental response to the people who criticise - if it is so easy, be my guest. Most people who moan would rather scoop their own eyes out with a rusty spoon than stand up in front of a mob of hormonal teens or a herd of smalls intent on causing chaos. I find it hard enough when there are 2 of them.

Enjoy your holiday - if you are on teams and need a try out space give me a shout.

Thanks Unescorted I might try that after Christmas just to check I still know what I'm doing!!

@ememem84

These are the baubles. I knew I had a pic somewhere. Dh doesn’t not like them. I think it’s because they’re mil’s only gift.

Ds and I went to the garden centre to pick up cat litter and food for catface. and some other Christmas parephenalia

They are beautifulEm💓

@isawthatt

Hiya all, well we’re in lockdown here and not really sure when it will end. Although we hadn’t planned to meet up with anyone at Christmas I just feel so upset. I keep thinking about DS2 has only ever known a world like this, he’s not really been anywhere other than his house and to the park. He hasn’t been held by anyone other than me, DH, the DC and the midwife. It makes me so desperately sad, and I know he won’t remember it but we’ll never get this time back. I’m also quite stressed about entertaining the DC, we live in a small village with basically nothing to do. I’m worried about them going back to school and catching the virus. And like most people I just want to be with my family again.

I’ve given myself today to be kind to myself. We went for a walk earlier, we’ve watched Fred Claus and played some games, also went to the shops and watched Frozen. They’re still so excited for Christmas and it’s keeping me going. They’re still excited, Santa is still coming to visit them, they still get to be with their parents and their siblings and we’re going to try and make it the best Christmas we can. So I’ve decided to try and perk up, I‘be had a bath and feel a bit more fresh, am now off to do some housework and plan activities!.

I’m so sorry gen, can your mum form a bubble with any of you or is that not possible?. I hope you can find a way to celebrate Christmas together virtually. It has been handled so awfully, I agree. I’m sorry your MIL is like that, I have a similar FIL!.

Thanks wolf she learnt very quickly!. I hope you’ve managed to edit your shop!.

Sorry that your plans have also been affected life

We love turkey sandwiches here north

em it sounds like quite a good idea for the pub to do that. The baubles are lovely, if DH doesn’t like them he should do the gifts himself. We do it that way and it saves a lot of arguments.

mrs I’m so sorry about your cousins DH, I hope he makes a full recovery. I’m also in Monmouthshire. Bobs cake is lovely.

£5.75 in local shop.
£4.99 on Fred Claus

I might be a bit spendy tonight and order bits and bobs to keep the DC entertained over lockdown.

I will pm you if that is ok Isaw Thank you re Bobbos cake he loves it so much he doesn't want to cut it!!!! 😂

Unescorted AHH sweetheart no matter, thank you for thinking about us 🤩❤️
Oh GodEm that sounds like it's getting bad there with you sweetheart take care of yourself and your beloved's 💗

Another joining the “how on earth do teachers do it” bench!

NSD again here as I still can’t go out (track and trace app notification) so just spent the morning watching telly and the afternoon studying instead. Don’t feel very festive yet!

Now watching Muppet Christmas Carol though :o

I’ve never had vegemite.

So have just had happy news from my darling cousin, l have been so worried, her DH is only on 2 lts of Oxygen now bless him 🤗❤️
Am over the moon best Christmas present EVER! 🤗❤️😀👏👏

It’s been a crazy day here today. All 3 DC at home and DH at work. I will say that screen time has gone up massively in this house!. DS2 is asleep, the big ones are allowed to stay up a little bit later tonight because we’re watching Santa Claus the Movie. DH braved the shops after he finished work and we’ve got all our Christmas food in now, plus a few extra bits to help us through the lockdown. 4 more sleeps to go, the DC are absolutely rabid with excitement.

em DH makes french onion soup a lot, it’s amazing with homemade bread. Take care of yourself!.

snuggly I’d also like to say a big thank you to you teachers. My DD started reception this year and I was so worried about how she’d cope, but her teachers have gone above and beyond to make her happy there. You’re real superhero’s.

girlie the pictures sounds like a lovely present, I might have to look into doing that for my DGM.

unescorted the shops weren’t too bad here according to DH. I’ve been putting bits and bobs away throughout the year just so we’re prepared if we need to isolate or anything, so we’re safe. Good luck christmassing the house and doing the embroidery!.

mrs thanks for the PM!. DSM makes cakes and they’re also too gorgeous to cut into. I was glad that the DC didn’t have birthday parties with friends this year as I always feel silly getting emotional in front of anyone when the cake is cut😂. Brilliant news about your cousins DH, I bet you’re all so relived!

£3.99 to watch Santa Claus the Movie
£97 in shops on food
£10 on some workbooks to do with the DC at home in case of home learning

Isaw l am the biggest softie going . l get misty eyed over everything 🤗 embrace it because it just means you have a beautiful heart ❤️
I am otm re my cousin's DH it is the very best news ☺️🤗👏👏👏

@Mrsmadevans

Unescorted AHH sweetheart no matter, thank you for thinking about us 🤩❤️ Oh GodEm that sounds like it's getting bad there with you sweetheart take care of yourself and your beloved's 💗

It is. But yet still our government won’t shut the borders. Sigh.

The news today was that two people have died of covid whilst in hospital. Report kept saying that they were very elderly. And that the very elderly people were on end of life care. And did you know they were very elderly.

No matter their age - it’s a sad day for their families. I think the reporting was awful. Smacked of “ah well they old going to die soon anyway no biggie” to me.

We’re staying as safe as we can here. Not mixing with anyone other than dparents - and even now we won’t see them until Christmas. The dc are at nursery which is a hotbed for germs at the best of times. But so far it’s been ok.

This will sound odd maybe but I’m holding out for Christmas. Dm has had a shite year - she couldn’t travel to see dgm in Devon, ddad has lost the plot re covid. Dgm is making things difficult for her. She’s worried about everyone and everything. She needs Christmas with the kids. She’s said that it’s the only thing she’s really looking forward to. So as long as she gets that, it’s all good.

No doubt there’ll be a lockdown for New Years.

Oh Em that sounds so horrible l am so sorry lovely. I don't understand why your Govt didn't shut the borders like the Isle of Man. It seems ridiculous.

More kind comments, thank you.

We watched Muppet Christmas Caroĺ at the weekend Sing, dcs loved it!

Finally started wrapping some presents tonight. My back hurts. More to do tomorrow. Wish dh could just take the dcs out for the day while I get on with it but the forecast is terrible and there is nowhere indoors to go.

DD2 quite liked it too snug at least the funny slapstick bits!

I watched National lampoons Christmas for the first time the other day. And the last time. Just didn’t get it. Not sure what to try next!

£3 home ed sub renewal